YOUTUBE CHANNEL TARGETS MUSLIM VENDORS WITH “FOOD JIHAD” HATE IN INDIA

Sun 15 February 2026:

Muslim vendors selling kova buns at the Samakka Saralamma Jatara, a major tribal festival in Telangana’s Mulugu district, were confronted and questioned in a YouTube video that accused them of promoting so-called “food jihad” and selling “adulterated” buns at the festival.

A YouTube channel, Tejaswi News, which has around 7,800 subscribers, has published multiple videos over the past 10 days alleging that Muslim vendors were selling “adulterated” kova buns at the festival.

In a 53-minute explainer video released on Friday, the anchor leading the coverage, Balu Balaji Goud, claimed that some festival-goers had complained of feeling unwell after consuming buns sold near the venue.

Kova buns, made from sugar, milk, and kova, are a popular snack widely consumed across south India.

In one instance, he confronts a vendor, who had travelled from Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh to sell buns at the festival, demanding to know why the packets did not display manufacturing or expiry dates.

When he explained that the buns were locally sourced and meant to be sold within six days, the anchor appeared to dismiss the explanation and addressed the camera instead.

He also referenced Rohingya Muslims in Greater Hyderabad, showing videos on his phone to the gathered crowd, and demanded that the vendor produce his Aadhaar card to prove his citizenship.

Questioning how the buns could be sold for ₹10, he alleged adulteration and called for a police case.

In Telangana, a poor Muslim street vendor was harassed by Youtubers in the name of “food jihad.” These creators routinely target vulnerable vendors for views. Hello @revanth_anumula, will there be action against those spreading communal hatred? pic.twitter.com/UaRGum8AqQ

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) February 13, 2026

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https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22

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Vendor is seen in the video pleading that he had travelled to Telangana solely to earn a livelihood.

In another clip, the anchor questioned a vendor from Kurnool, again focusing on the absence of manufacturing dates.

At one point, a bystander claimed that the kova could not be genuine at such a low price. In a separate video, another representative of the channel is seen asking the vendor to eat the bun on camera to prove it was safe, following which he is seen eating it.

Across several videos, the anchors repeatedly invoked the term “food jihad,” a conspiracy narrative promoted by sections of the Hindu right that alleges Muslims deliberately contaminate food sold to Hindus.

On the other hand, several videos have surfaced showing locals coming out in support of the vendor, with families seen feeding the kova buns to their children and calling out the YouTuber for allegedly spreading “divisive propaganda.”

Amid the controversy, some users on X pointed to Balu Balaji’s connection with Hindutva-aligned politics. The anchor, who previously worked at Telugu channel Suman TV, has shared videos on Instagram interacting with local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Telangana and has posted content critical of the Congress and AIMIM regarding Rohingya refugees.

Journalist Revathy strongly criticised the harassment of Muslim vendors, describing the “food jihad” narrative as “vile” and deeply disturbing.

She argued that Telangana has historically resisted communal politics and maintained social harmony.

“For decades, Telangana rejected communal hatred. There were scattered instances of hate speeches and crass comments, but it was largely peaceful. For every person spreading hatred, there were many who stood up against it,” she wrote.

However, she expressed concern that the situation has changed in recent years, alleging that divisive politics have increasingly gone unchecked. She criticised the political climate in the state, warning that competitive electoral strategies were creating space for communal rhetoric.

Referring to the video, Revathy said she was “severely disturbed” by footage showing a YouTube channel confronting street vendors and asking their names, allegedly targeting them once they were identified as Muslim. She condemned the use of the term “food jihad,” calling it baseless and inflammatory.

“What kind of nonsense is food jihad?” she asked, pointing to Telangana’s long culinary traditions shaped by diverse communities. She noted that the region has embraced foods such as haleem, biryani, Irani chai, paya, and kheema for generations, describing the state’s shared food culture as evidence of longstanding coexistence.

Revathy said she was particularly disturbed by a clip in which a street vendor was allegedly forced to eat his own food on camera to prove it was not adulterated.

According to her, the vendor appeared visibly distressed.

FOOD JIHAD: THE VILE SEEPING IN TELANGANA

For decades, Telangana has rejected communal politics, communal hatred. People lived in perfect harmony.

There were scattered instances of hate speeches, vile WhatsApp forwards, crass comments and very few instances of violence, but… pic.twitter.com/U9522M6ucH

— Revathi (@revathitweets) February 12, 2026

“The tears of the man should haunt any sane Telangana individual,” she wrote.

She further questioned the role of law enforcement, tagging the official handles of the Telangana Police, the Director General of Police, and the Chief Minister’s Office. She asked why no action had been taken despite what she described as the public spread of communal hatred.

Highlighting the economic vulnerability of the vendor, identified as Ali from Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh, she noted that he was reportedly a daily-wage seller rather than a manufacturer. She also questioned whether street vendors in general display FSSAI certifications or manufacturing dates, and whether similar scrutiny is applied uniformly or selectively.

Several activists and political leaders in Telangana have criticised the coverage, describing it as Islamophobic and unnecessary.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Paritala Sriram described the incident as “cruel,” saying it was wrong to publicly target small traders struggling to earn a livelihood.

“Hunger has no caste, and self-respect has no religion. It is everyone’s responsibility to respect those who work hard to earn a living and support their families. Dragging the life of a poor small trader who sells a kova bun onto the streets like this is cruel,” he said.

Criticising those behind the videos, Sriram added, “Some people are doing such things for views and likes on YouTube. If possible, we should stand by the poor, but it is not right to suppress their voices like this.”

He also thanked those who condemned the incident and extended support to the vendor. “Seeing the support he is receiving on social media gives the feeling that humanity is still alive,” he said.

ఆక‌లికి కులం ఉండ‌దు, ఆత్మ‌గౌర‌వానికి మ‌తం ఉండ‌దు. క‌ష్ట‌ప‌డి ప‌నిచేసుకొని కుటుంబాన్ని పోషించుకునే ప్ర‌తీ ఒక్క‌రినీ గౌర‌వించాల్సిన బాధ్య‌త అందరిపై ఉంటుంది. ఒక కోవ బ‌న్ విక్ర‌యించుకునే పేద చిరు వ్యాపారి జీవితాన్ని ఇలా రోడ్డుపైకి లాగ‌డం దారుణం. యూట్యూబ్‌లో వ్యూస్, లైక్స్ కోసం కొంద… pic.twitter.com/2bammWbuTe

— Paritala Sreeram (@IParitalaSriram) February 13, 2026

The organisation Justice and Empowerment of Minorities (JEM) also condemned the incident, stating that YouTubers targeting a poor Muslim street vendor in Telangana with “food jihad” propaganda were harming livelihoods and spreading enmity.

In a statement, JEM said that several online responses to the videos contained slurs, stereotypes, and attempts to justify or reverse the allegations. While welcoming the community support shown to the vendor, the organisation called for action against those creating and amplifying hate content, adding that the matter had been reported for accountability.

The controversy comes days after a Dharma Rakshana Sabha held in Hyderabad’s Balapur area by an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

While officially framed as a gathering to protect “dharma” and oppose Rohingya refugees and alleged Bangladeshi migrants, speeches reportedly escalated to rhetoric targeting the Muslim community.

The kova bun controversy also received backing from the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), whose national spokesperson from Hyderabad criticised those supporting the vendors.

There have been several earlier instances in India where Muslim food vendors were accused of promoting so-called “food jihad,” a conspiracy theory alleging deliberate contamination of food sold to non-Muslims, particularly Hindus, as part of religious targeting.

Variants of the narrative, including terms such as “thook (spit) jihad” and “urine jihad,” have circulated widely on social media, right-wing Hindutva digital platforms, YouTube channels, and at times on mainstream television debates. These claims are frequently made without substantiated evidence and are often embedded within broader communal narratives.

This article is republished from Maktoob Media. Read the original article.